Partner visas · 820 · 801 · 309 · 100 · 300
Partner Visa Australia — every pathway, requirement and cost in one place
An Australian partner visa lets the spouse or de facto partner of an Australian citizen, permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen live in Australia permanently. There are two pathways, onshore and offshore, and a fiancé visa for couples who plan to marry. This guide sets out the partner visa requirements, the cost, and which subclass fits your partner visa application.
What is a partner visa in Australia?
A partner visa lets the spouse or de facto partner of an Australian citizen, permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen live in Australia. You apply once for a temporary and a permanent visa together: the 820 and 801 from inside Australia, or the 309 and 100 from outside. One charge covers both stages.
Key facts
- From 1 July 2026 the partner visa charge is AUD 11,710 for the main applicant. It covers both stages, with no second instalment.
- Married and de facto couples use the same visas. A de facto relationship usually needs 12 months together before you apply, unless it is registered.
- Where you are when you apply decides the pathway. In Australia: the 820 and 801. Outside Australia: the 309 and 100.
- The permanent visa is usually decided two years after you apply. The wait does not apply if you were already in a long-term relationship.
- A sponsor can have at most two partner sponsorships approved in a lifetime, five years apart.
- Engaged couples who want to marry in Australia can use the Subclass 300 prospective marriage visa.
Which partner visa fits you?
Every Australia partner visa works as one relationship test applied through two pathways. Pick the pathway by where you are when you apply.
| Your situation | Temporary visa | Permanent visa |
|---|---|---|
| In Australia when you apply | Subclass 820 | Subclass 801 |
| Outside Australia when you apply | Subclass 309 | Subclass 100 |
| Engaged, outside Australia, marrying in Australia | Subclass 300 | Then the 820 and 801 after you marry |
If you are outside Australia and plan to marry, you have two routes. You can use the Subclass 300 to come to Australia and marry here, or apply for the 309 on the basis that you intend to marry, and marry before the 309 is granted.
What are the partner visa requirements in Australia?
The partner visa Australia requirements fall into three parts: the relationship, the sponsor and where you are.
The relationship
You must be married to, or in a de facto relationship with, your sponsor. Either way, the relationship must be genuine and continuing, with a mutual commitment to a shared life to the exclusion of all others. The Department weighs four areas together: your finances, your household, how others see you as a couple, and your commitment to each other.
The sponsor
Your partner sponsors you. They must be an Australian citizen, permanent resident or eligible New Zealand citizen, aged 18 or over, and able to give the sponsorship undertaking to support you.
Can a New Zealand citizen sponsor a partner?
Only if they are an eligible New Zealand citizen, a permanent resident or an Australian citizen. Most New Zealand citizens in Australia hold a special category visa, and only some of those are “protected”. A New Zealand citizen is protected if any of these applies:
- they were in Australia as a special category visa holder on 26 February 2001;
- they spent 12 months or more in Australia as a special category visa holder in the two years before 26 February 2001, and returned after that date; or
- Services Australia has assessed and certified them as a protected special category visa holder.
A New Zealand citizen who first arrived after 26 February 2001 is usually not protected, so cannot sponsor a partner yet. There are two ways forward. Since 1 July 2023, a New Zealand citizen on a special category visa is treated as a permanent resident for citizenship purposes, so they can apply for Australian citizenship directly once they meet the residence requirement, then sponsor as a citizen. Or they can obtain a permanent visa first. In the meantime, a partner who is not a New Zealand citizen may be able to live in Australia on a temporary New Zealand Citizen Family Relationship visa (Subclass 461), which does not lead to permanent residence. Services Australia can confirm whether a New Zealand citizen is protected.
The sponsorship limits
- A person can have at most two partner or prospective marriage sponsorships approved in their lifetime.
- A sponsor cannot be approved again until five years have passed since they applied to sponsor a previous partner.
- A sponsor who was themselves granted a visa as someone's partner cannot sponsor until five years after they applied for that visa.
The Department can waive these limits in compelling circumstances affecting the sponsor.
How much does a partner visa cost in Australia?
One charge covers both stages of a partner visa, onshore or offshore, and it is paid when you lodge. From 1 July 2026:
| Applicant | Charge (AUD) |
|---|---|
| Main applicant | $11,710 |
| Each additional applicant 18 or over | $5,860 |
| Each additional applicant under 18 | $2,935 |
| Second instalment | Nil |
Lower charges apply to some applicants, including holders of a Pacific-regional passport. Budget as well for medical examinations, police certificates and certified translations. Government charges rise each 1 July. Our professional fee is quoted separately.
What is the difference between partner visa 820 and 801?
They are the two stages of the onshore partner visa. The 820 is temporary and decided first; it lets you live, work and study in Australia. The 801 is permanent and usually decided two years after you applied. The offshore pathway works the same way, with the 309 as the temporary stage and the 100 as the permanent stage.
When the two-year wait does not apply
If you were in a long-term relationship when you applied, the permanent visa can be granted without the two-year wait. That means three years together, or two years if you have a dependent child of both of you who is not a step-child.
Partner visa or spouse visa: what is the difference?
People search for a spouse visa Australia or a de facto visa, but there is no separate spouse visa. The same partner visas cover both married couples and de facto couples. A spouse is a partner you are validly married to; a de facto partner is one you live with in a genuine relationship without being married. The main practical difference is the 12-month rule, which applies to de facto couples but not to married couples.
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The Partner Visa Handbook
Onshore and offshore partner visas, the sponsorship limits, how to build your relationship evidence and what happens after you lodge. Read it before you prepare anything.
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Partner visa Australia — frequently asked questions
Is it hard to get an Australian partner visa?
It depends on the evidence more than anything else. The Department must be satisfied the relationship is genuine and continuing, weighing your finances, household, social life and commitment together. Applications also fail on eligibility points that have nothing to do with the relationship: the sponsorship limits, visa conditions, a past refusal or being in the wrong place when you apply. Check those first. No outcome is guaranteed.
What is the difference between partner visa 820 and 801?
The 820 and 801 are the two stages of the onshore partner visa, applied for and paid for together. The 820 is temporary and decided first, letting you live, work and study in Australia. The 801 is permanent and usually decided two years after you applied, once the Department has re-checked the relationship. A long-term relationship can mean both are granted together.
How much does a partner visa cost in Australia?
From 1 July 2026 the government charge is AUD 11,710 for the main applicant, AUD 5,860 for each additional applicant aged 18 or over and AUD 2,935 for each additional applicant under 18. One charge covers both stages, onshore or offshore, and there is no second instalment. Some applicants pay less. Medicals, police certificates and translations cost extra, and charges rise each 1 July.
What are the differences between a partner visa and a spouse visa in Australia?
There is no separate spouse visa. The same partner visas cover married couples and de facto couples alike. A spouse is a partner you are validly married to, while a de facto partner is one you share a genuine relationship with without being married. The practical difference is that de facto couples usually need 12 months together before applying, unless the relationship is registered.
Can I apply for a partner visa if we are not married?
Yes. You can apply as a de facto partner. The relationship must usually have lasted at least 12 months before you apply, and both partners must be 18 or over. The 12 months is not needed if your relationship is registered under an Australian state or territory law, or if there are compelling and compassionate circumstances such as a child of the relationship.
Can I switch from the Subclass 300 to the 820?
Yes. The Subclass 300 prospective marriage visa lets you come to Australia and marry your partner within the visa period. Once you are married, you apply for the onshore 820 and 801 from inside Australia. If your 300 has since ended and you married your sponsor, you are exempt from the extra criteria that normally apply to applicants without a substantive visa.
Can a New Zealand citizen sponsor a partner visa?
Only an eligible New Zealand citizen can, meaning one who is a protected special category visa holder. Broadly, that is a New Zealand citizen who was in Australia on 26 February 2001, or spent 12 months here in the two years before it. A New Zealand citizen who arrived later usually needs to become an Australian citizen or permanent resident first.
Partner visa guides
Most partner visa problems are settled before you lodge.
A free eligibility check tells you which partner visa fits, whether the sponsorship limits affect you, and what to prepare first.
Visa Advisor is a MARA-registered visa agent in Sydney, NSW, advising onshore and offshore partner visa applicants across Australia.
Sources and last checked dates
- Migration Regulations 1994 — Schedule 2 Parts 820, 801, 309, 100 and 300; Schedule 1 items 1124B and 1129 (charges from 1 July 2026); regulations 1.03, 1.20J and 2.03A, Compilation No. 288, 1 July 2026 (F2026C00667) read 23 September 2026 open ↗
- Migration Act 1958 — sections 5F (spouse) and 5CB (de facto partner) read 23 September 2026 open ↗
- Department of Social Services — Social Security Guide 9.1.3, New Zealand citizens checked 23 September 2026 open ↗
- Australian Citizenship (Permanent Resident) Determination (LIN 22/103), as amended by LIN 23/024 read 23 September 2026
Information is general only and is not migration advice for your circumstances. No outcome is guaranteed.